Professional Learning

Long term and sustained improvement which has a real impact on the quality of children’s learning will be better achieved through determined efforts to build the capacity of teachers themselves to take responsibility for their own professional development, building their pedagogical expertise, engaging with the need for change, undertaking well-thought through development and always evaluating impact in relation to improvement in the quality of children’s learning.  That is the message from successful education systems across the world.

Scottish Government (2011) “Teaching Scotland’s Future”

As a school we are committed to supporting staff to be skilled and creative practitioners.  We aim to develop reflective practitioners who are committed to their own development, are willing to learn collaboratively, share effective practices with each other and to improve their work through self-evaluation.  We have the capacity to lead learning and develop improved practice within our own school.

All teaching staff:

• Maintain a Learning Log
• Prepare for and participate in an annual P.R.D. review (Contribution Management Review for Non-Teaching Staff)
• Contribute to and participate in Closure Day and Improvement Planning sessions.
• Participate in Whole School Committees or School Improvement Groups.
• Participate in class and peer observations.
• Participate in curricular planning and development.
• Take account of the latest research and professional reading.
• Work with colleagues and inter-agency teams as appropriate.

In all that we do we are committed to bringing about improvements which directly benefit learners by raising the quality of their learning experiences.

Our professional learning journey  focuses on teachers as learners, recognising that investment in continuing professional development is key to supporting staff professional knowledge and informing their practice.  We believe that by offering sustained and high quality opportunities for staff to develop and enhance their professional learning we will meet the challenge set out in the Bell Baxter Learning Standard to innovate, inspire and continually raise the quality and consistency of learning and teaching in the school.

You can find out more about a Professional Learning model here: https://professionallearning.education.gov.scot/explore/the-national-model-of-professional-learning/